The Truth In Print Vol. 19 Issue
6, July 2013
A Publication of the Valley church of Christ,
2375 W. 8th Street, Yuma, AZ 85364 (928-782-5058)
Website
Address ~ http://yumavalleychurchofchrist.com
It’s Camp Time Again!
Introduction:
June and July
are generally the months Camps structured and ran by brethren are attended. If
this kind of organization is without scriptural authority would you stop
teaching against it just to please men?
Think of the
degree to which the “human institution” is now promoted in the brotherhood, and
the various ways young peoples’ minds are seeded to accept brethren building
organizations apart from the local church for worship and evangelism. Bible
Camps set up by brethren are maintained by fees and donations; foundations have
lectureships offering classes for children — we were warned that our children
would desire to work through such human institutions but few heeded the
warning. Some brethren maintain the network connected with supporting Florida
College — Booster Clubs set up by preachers and members that provide FC Camps said to be the number one
recruitment tool for the college. Of course there is Florida College itself
providing worship, evangelism and edification. All when the Bible says nothing
about such!
The Local Church Planned and Given by God:
Beginning at
Jerusalem (Acts 2:41-42, 47, 5:11) — Church “ekklesia”
(G1577), Thayer pg. 196, b. a company of
Christians, or of those who, hoping for eternal salvation through Jesus Christ,
observe their own religious rites, hold their own religious meetings, and
manage their own affairs, according to regulations prescribed for the body for
order’s sake; aa. those who anywhere, in a city,
village, constitute such a company and are united into one body: Acts 5:11;
8:3; I Cor. 4:1, 6:4; Phil. 4:15; 3 Jn.6; with specification of place, Acts
8:1; 9:22; Ro. 16:1; I Cor. 4:17; 6:4; Rev. 2, 1, 8 etc.; …and mention of
place, I Co. 1:2; 2 Co. 1:1. Plur.: Acts 15:41.
This pattern is
the product of divine wisdom as promised. The apostles left it for all time
(Jo. 16:13; Matt. 18:17 “church” foretold; Antioch, Acts 13:1 *prophets and
teachers; established in Lystra, Iconium
and Antioch and each with its own oversight, Acts 14:21-23; each was to be the
pillar and support o the Truth, I Tim. 3:15, I Thess. I:8;
Remember this, 2 Pet. 3:1-2 with I Pet. 5:1-4).
Elements for a Local Church:
A membership (I Cor. 14:23 “the whole church”; Rom. 16:1 Phoebe
was of the church which is at Cenchrea) with — common agreement to worship and
work together (Phil. 1:27) — common oversight (Acts
14:23 elders; otherwise the men, I Tim. 2:12; I Cor. 14:34) — a common treasury (Acts 4:37; Phil. 4:15-16) — divinely given common work: a. the word taught, support of
preachers, edifying through elders and teachers (Acts 2:42; Eph. 4:11-12, Acts
13:1; I Cor. 14:19, 26; I Th. 1:8; Phil. 4:15, et. al.) b. collective worship
provided for (Heb. 10:24-25; I Cor. 11:17-34; I Cor. 14, 16 et. al.) c. limited
benevolence for needy saints (Acts 6:1 *self; I Cor. 16:1-4 *abroad).
Man’s Religious Organization Also Has:
Membership
Common agreement
Common oversight
Common treasury
Common work / purpose
Note: This applies
not just to missionary societies and foundations but
also to camps!
Camps Teach the Bible and Provide Worship,
Recreation
Descriptions of
such camps state they will be filled with devotional studies, instruction in
the Word of God, small group Bible classes, helping youth grow spiritually,
character building, recreation and making friendships that might last a life
time, etc. This with a staff to counsel and teach the Bible.
Vacationing in a Dual-Purpose Organization
that Provides for Edification, Worship
If a camp has the above “elements” (see
“Elements…”) and is built by brethren to do the work God gave His organization
to do — it is offering more than a vacation. Many brethren simply see these
Camps as one views a vacation — after all look at the
emphasis each gives to fun and entertainment.
A “dual-purpose”
organization – some plainly call their camp a Bible Camp — that provides
edification through teaching the word is an unauthorized human organization. If
you are at the mountains with friends while on vacation, and get the bible out
when you come in from fishing in the evening that is not an organization!
Emphasis Given to Camps Being Solely Funded
by Fees and Donations
At times you
see emphasis given to “how” a particular camp is funded — solely by fees and
individual donations. That’s because young people in the church who are now
adults were taught that as long as the local churches do not support Human
Societies that makes the Human Society Ok. And that is the very reason for all
the warnings in the 1980s about Individually Supported Missionary Societies!
Collected fees and donations are at times said to be reinvested in the camp or
perhaps given as awards.
Just because
Camps are set up to function fully only for a limited amount of time – usually
over within a week – brethren are prone to think that changes the nature of
things. A short violation of God’s pattern is still a violation of God’s
pattern. The indoctrination has not been short has it.
It is repeated yearly. You have oversight, cost, profit, scheduled works and
the use of the collected funds.
Purchasing a
service has never answered the right of brethren to build another organization
for worship and evangelism when God gave us His. The partaking in fun exists
along with partaking in worship under the planning and oversight of a human
organization. A collectivity outside of the church is meeting and holding
these services.
The Fallacy of “You’re another one!”
An example of
falsely claiming you’re another: “Well it is just like the family when you have
someone over for a bible study.” God authorized the family (Gen. 2:24-25). The
family is a God ordained institution. When we have a bible study with others
there is no collective treasury for all. The Camp is a man made religious
organization.
The
Apology that is an Admission
Some have sought
to offer an explanation that their aim is to be neither a
church or a Bible Camp in the popular sense, but to instill moral
principles and other virtues taught in the Bible. They say that they include
Bible study and worship in daily activities but the “main thrust” of the Camp
is not evangelism. Smooth words and fair speeches!
The
“dual-purpose” argument — that the primary purpose authorized the secondary is
often used but is of no value. There’s nothing right about worshipping with the
human organization.
Things to Mark and Take Note Of
Apostasies through
human organizations exist to promote the human organization, those who are a
part and to protect one’s place.
2. Arrogance in questioning why your children are not at
camp (cf. 2 Cor. 11:20).
3. “Songs” sung in worship with the express purpose of
enhancing a human organization in brethrens’ minds.
4. Reiterating camp activities from the pulpit upon return.
5. Afraid to trust in God’s plan — depreciation of the
local church organization God planned and gave for all time.
6. A merchandizing approach using the Word of God, 2 Cor.
2:17. Children becoming a commodity — gain a foothold and they’ll go to a human
organization that the camp promotes.
7. Ignoring the reasons for not sending kids to camp: “I
wish they didn’t have edification but they do.” They have it so identify the
error as you should.
The camps are
children’s introductions to brethren building unauthorized human institutions
for worship, edification and evangelism. Local churches should teach on human
organizations depreciating God’s own organization.
By Bob Lovelace
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